ABSTRACT
With the United States’ involvement in numerous combat operations overseas, the need for civilian social workers with the clinical skills necessary to work with members of the military returning from combat, as well as their families, has never been more critical. In this practical and important book, each chapter is written by specialists in a particular area devoted to the care of service members and includes case material to demonstrate assessment and intervention approaches. The reader is introduced to the world of the military and the subsequent development of mental health services for returning men and women. Chapters look at special populations of service members with specific needs based directly on their experience in the military, discussing post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, sexual harassment and assault during their service, and the physiology of the war zone experience. The challenges faced by reintegrating service men and women are explored in detail and include family issues, suicide, and substance use disorders. A section on services available to returning service members looks at those offered by the Veterans Administration and at the use of animal-assisted interventions. The book concludes with a section devoted to unique concerns for the practitioner and explores ethical concerns they may face and their own needs as clinicians working with this population.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |33 pages
The World of the Military
chapter |16 pages
No One Leaves Unchanged—Insights for Civilian Mental Health Care
part |100 pages
Special Populations
chapter |13 pages
Helping the Combat Medic and Corpsman
part |101 pages
Clinical Challenges
chapter |19 pages
Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom
chapter |16 pages
Spouses and Their Families in the Modern Military System
chapter |21 pages
Substance use Disorders in Veterans
part |27 pages
Services
chapter |11 pages
Va Integrated Post-Combat Care
part |22 pages
Unique Concerns for Practitioners